Patent · US Expired

Test socket for testing integrated circuit packages

US5808474A · kind A · utility

38Cited by
6References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 26, 1996
Grant dateSep 15, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 26, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R1/0483
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A socket for testing an integrated circuit ball grid array package having external contacts formed by an array of solder balls is formed with a flexible bladder in the socket bottom. The upper side of the bladder has a test contact pattern that matches the pattern of the solder balls on the package. The side of the bladder carrying the test contact pattern is formed of conventional flexible circuit tape having contacts of spherical, conical or cylindrical shape formed thereon by conventional techniques, with circuit traces also formed on the flexible circuit tape extending to the outside of the socket for connection to test circuitry. Inflation of the bladder drives its test contact pattern against the solder balls of a package held in the socket and forces the flexible test contact substrate of the bladder to conform to any non-planar configuration of the ball grid array.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.